Invisible Strings

3

"Let her finish, girls" Natatawang sabi ni Minthe. Nag thumbs-up ako sakaniya dahil hindi na naman ako makasingit sa mga singhalan nila sa isat-isa.

"For once, pasok siya sa standards mo.. Foreigner, check." Panimula ni Celestin. I rolled my eyes because I already did my checklist.

"I have three problem though.. doktor siya, kupal at—"

"I really don't understand why you hate doctors." Natatawang putol ni Cher. Matamis na ngiti ang sinukli ko doon.

"I just don't like the way they smell. Amoy alcohol. Parang laging sanitized."

"You're an idiot" tawa-tawa si Celestin.

"Master!" Nagmamaktol na sabi ko sakaniya.

"So did you do more than kissing?" Excited na tanong ni Minthe. Doon ako natahimik. Alam nila ang lahat sa akin, my pet peeves and all.

"Oh my gosh, natahimik siya! They did it!" Singit ni Vera. Natawa ako sa enthusiasm niya. Ganitong usapan pala ang gusto niya. Engaged na engaged eh.

"I doubt. Puro bibig lang yang si Ziyah. Di kasi marunong makipaglaro ng apoy." Panunukso ni Trina. Medyo nakakaoffend yon.

'Wow, and where did playing with fire bring us?' Yan ang gusto kong isagot sakaniya but no, that would make everything worse as it is. Below the belt yon and that would just make everything awkward.

"Daliri ba?" Nahihiyang hagikgik ni Minthe. Lahat kami ay napatutop ng bibig sa sinabi niya.

"Hoy Minthe, nag-engaged ka lang gumanyan kana!" Di makapaniwalang tugon ni Cher. Minthe just giggled.

"You know, that's no harm. Just make sure it's safe..." Panimula niya.

Ipit na sumigaw si Celestin. "Goodness gracious! My ears!"

It took five minutes of rally before the ball of topic went back to me. Palitan sila ng asaran at walang nagpapatalo.

"Back to the ball game, Ziyah.. natahimik ka diyan?" Puna ni Cher sa katahimikan ko.

"Honestly, I did thought of surrendering everything I've got to the thief pero buti nalang at hindi ko ginawa. I got to know him more that night.. and it made me somehow hope that we shouldn't have met that way.. alam naman natin ang ganap ng mga one night stand mga sis.. very good lang talaga ako kasi kahit may nakastand na, hindi ako umupo o humiga.."

They went silent after that long speech. Pakiramdam ko tuloy kelangan ko pang magsalita at maglabas ng sama ng loob.

"Do you guys know what's fucked up?" Kinuha ko ang hawak kong ginger beer. "I felt good talking to him and his neck kisses brought near-death experience to me.. pasalamat talaga ako sa self-control ko. I have a very strong mind.. be proud girls!"

I took a sip on my beer at hindi parin sila nagsasalita. It's just me. Tinapunan ko ng tingin ang kama kung saan ko siya nakasama.

"It's just.. maybe I won't drink another Moscow Mule ever again in my life because I will remember him. Ghad, I never felt this way sa lahat ng mga nakamomol ko. Puta. He was a deeper conversation type of shit!"

Uminom ako ulit. Wala paring nagsasalita sa kanila.

"Can you believe it? Trin, someone got past my jaw." I laughed hard in disbelief. "Thinking about it now, sana pala nakipaglaro na ako ng apoy sakaniya. Atleast siya ang first ko—"

"Oh wag ka ng umiyak diyan, Bola-bola" putol ni Vera sa paglilitanya ko. Bigla ko siyang sinamaan ng tingin.

"Punyeta ka talagang Trudis-liit ka"